NY Liquor Stores Want In on the THC Drink Game

New York is about to remix happy hour.

Freshly filed bills from Sen. Jeremy Cooney and Assemblymember John Zaccaro Jr. would let licensed liquor and wine stores apply for permits to sell low-dose THC beverages. Translation? Your neighborhood bottle shop could soon stock cannabis-infused drinks right next to the cabernet.

Under the proposal, retailers approved by the New York State Liquor Authority could sell single-serve cannabis beverages capped at 5 milligrams of total THC. These aren’t knockout potions. They are controlled, low-potency sippers designed for regulated environments with strong compliance records.

The guardrails are tight. THC drinks must be stored separately from alcohol, clearly labeled, and tracked through software coordinated with the New York State Office of Cannabis Management. There is also a layered tax structure: 9 percent at distribution and 13 percent at retail, with revenue flowing toward social equity programs, enforcement against illicit operators, administrative costs, and local municipalities.

New York’s cannabis market has already crossed $2.5 billion in retail sales since legalization. Lawmakers see beverage-based cannabis as the next wave. Think less smoke, more sparkle. Less stigma, more shelf space.

And while the state expands access, I leveled up, too.

I recently completed a two-hour medical marijuana certification course hosted by OCM and designed by pharmacists for the medical community. Led by pharmacist Sang Choi, the session dove into dosing protocols, drug interactions, patient safety, and the evolving science behind cannabis therapeutics. My certification is valid for five years, and yes, I attended to sharpen what I already knew.

Because as THC beverages move into mainstream retail, education matters. Compliance matters. Public health matters.

New York is building a smarter cannabis ecosystem. I am here for it, certified and caffeinated, ready to keep Budz Up ahead of the curve. 

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